Starlink users heavily surveilled by alleged Israeli spy firm — company served ads to geolocate users and spy on browsers and apps

An Israeli company, Discover-Tech, is alleged to have conducted a large-scale spy campaign targeting Starlink users, according to research by digital defense firm Trend Micro's AI cybersecurity unit TrendAI. The company allegedly served malicious advertisements to Starlink users across over 100 countries, including regions with Starlink restrictions.

The ads did not require user interaction to collect data, and TrendAI's researchers found that Discover-Tech was the primary bidder on Starlink advertising traffic. The surveillance aimed to harvest user data across browsers and applications. Starlink's satellite-based internet connections, which bypass local restrictions, make them attractive targets for governments seeking to track users.

TrendAI identified a "clear skew" towards targeting Starlink users, despite the lack of demand for legitimate Western advertising in sanctioned states. Google, Comcast, and other companies have since removed Discover-Tech from their platforms.